Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers

SOCLOSE907 · December 16, 2012, 04:55 AM

"Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers"
By Maj. Julian S. Hatcher
Good book or what?!!! must have!!

kraigwy · December 16, 2012, 09:19 AM

Its an excellent book, I highly recommend anyone interested in Pistols/Revolvers include it in their Library.

Same with all of Hatcher's book.

Hatcher's Notebook: (My constant companion)
Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers: (Must have for pistol/revolver shooters)
Machine Guns, 1917: (used this one running machine gun schools for the NG)
Book of the Granand: (Helps a lot in my CMP GSM Clinics)
Firearms Investigation, Identification and Evidence: (Used this one in my LE CSI & EOD Days)

Without a doubt my favorite firearns author.

DaleA · December 17, 2012, 12:32 AM

No one holds Hatcher in greater regard than I do and I own Hatcher's Notebook (and have even read it!) and I would say get it and enjoy it but in the spirit of full disclosure Hatcher lived 1888 to 1963 so obviously Hatcher himself was not able to comment on many of our 'modern' firearms.

Once again let me say Hatcher is one of the 'greats' in the firearms world and I totally agree that lots of what he wrote about the firearms of his time apply to the firearms we have today and I agree anything he wrote would be good information to have around.

kraigwy · December 17, 2012, 10:31 AM

Yes Hatcher is gone, but not his work. His writings are still valid today.

As to the Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers: Pistol Marksmanship Fundamentals are just as valid today as when Hatcher wrote that book.

I mentioned his "Machine Guns, 1916". I used that as a text book when I taught machine gun schools for the National Guard. We used the M-60, a bit different from the Machine guns of WWI.

Yet: They are the same. Laying in a gun now is no different then laying in a gun in 1917, the math to determine max. ord. is the same, math doesn't change. Methods of using indirect fire is no different now then in 1917.

Hatcher, (in more then one of his books) mentions the use of the Mann Accuracy device. The same device is used the same way by the army today to test their ammo.

Guns change of course, but many of the methods of using these guns haven't.

Take the M1 Garand, Via the CMP GSM games and the CMP Sales the M1 is as popular probably more now then any time in history. One of the best works on the Garand is Hatcher's "Book of the Garand". Demand was so great it required a reprinting or re-issue of this book.

You find no better instruction in rifle shooting then "Military and Sporting Rifle Shooting" by Capt Edward Crossman. This book was published in the early 1920s I believe. Crossman's methods are still taught in the CMP/AMU Small Arms Firing School at the National Matches and other CMP Games today as well as GSM Garand Clinics.

Crossman's "Book of the Springfield" is the best I've seen on that rifle.

Don't discount these old authors, we can learn a lot from them.

Bart Noir · December 19, 2012, 07:42 PM

And for you folks that like math, Col. Townsend Whelen wrote two books that describe rifle shooting in detail. And I do mean detail.

Volumes 1 and 2 of Small Arms Design and Ballistics. IIRC the first covered interior ballistics (inside the chamber and barrel) and the second covered exterior ballistics (flight of the bullet). I read them both about 35 years back. Now Amazon shows them (used) at over $150 each

Being not too long out of engineering school, I thought I found a flaw in his physics math. Now, I sorta think I was likely wrong about that, since I can't remember what it actually was. Actually, there is much I can't remember from back then.

Bart Noir

481 · December 20, 2012, 09:34 PM

Quote:

And for you folks that like math, Col. Townsend Whelen wrote two books that describe rifle shooting in detail. And I do mean detail.

Great books! I am glad that I got mine for free (handed down by an uncle)- sentimental and informative, what a combination.

Rainbow Demon · December 22, 2012, 12:53 PM

This public domain download may be of interest, though it doesn't deal with the more modern handguns.
http://archive.org/details/modernamericanpi00goul

James K · December 27, 2012, 06:19 PM

For the real math freaks, find a copy of the British Textbook of Small Arms (1929).

Jim

**44 AMP** · December 29, 2012, 12:51 PM

hatcher's work is classic reference. Everything that applied then, still applies today (as the same guns are still around). Same with Kieth, O'Connor, Whelen, Nonte, Skelton, Jordan, Cooper, and the rest of the "old timers".

These gentlemen, in their writings and their exploits are virtually the "founding fathers" of modern shooting sports, and any shooter's library should have at least a few of their works.

and if you want some really complicated math, complicated to me, anyway, check out one of the volumes of "The Machine Gun" (Chinn), there are formulas in there for calculating the weight needed for the bolt of a blowback SMG of a given caliber. Among other things...

Esoteric? sure! There's symbols in those equations I don't even recognise!

December 16, 2012, 04:55 AM	#1
SOCLOSE907 Junior Member Join Date: December 15, 2012 Posts: 7	Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers "Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers" By Maj. Julian S. Hatcher Good book or what?!!! must have!! Last edited by SOCLOSE907; December 16, 2012 at 04:58 AM. Reason: spellcheck

December 16, 2012, 09:19 AM	#2
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	Its an excellent book, I highly recommend anyone interested in Pistols/Revolvers include it in their Library. Same with all of Hatcher's book. Hatcher's Notebook: (My constant companion) Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers: (Must have for pistol/revolver shooters) Machine Guns, 1917: (used this one running machine gun schools for the NG) Book of the Granand: (Helps a lot in my CMP GSM Clinics) Firearms Investigation, Identification and Evidence: (Used this one in my LE CSI & EOD Days) Without a doubt my favorite firearns author. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

December 17, 2012, 10:31 AM	#4
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	Yes Hatcher is gone, but not his work. His writings are still valid today. As to the Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers: Pistol Marksmanship Fundamentals are just as valid today as when Hatcher wrote that book. I mentioned his "Machine Guns, 1916". I used that as a text book when I taught machine gun schools for the National Guard. We used the M-60, a bit different from the Machine guns of WWI. Yet: They are the same. Laying in a gun now is no different then laying in a gun in 1917, the math to determine max. ord. is the same, math doesn't change. Methods of using indirect fire is no different now then in 1917. Hatcher, (in more then one of his books) mentions the use of the Mann Accuracy device. The same device is used the same way by the army today to test their ammo. Guns change of course, but many of the methods of using these guns haven't. Take the M1 Garand, Via the CMP GSM games and the CMP Sales the M1 is as popular probably more now then any time in history. One of the best works on the Garand is Hatcher's "Book of the Garand". Demand was so great it required a reprinting or re-issue of this book. You find no better instruction in rifle shooting then "Military and Sporting Rifle Shooting" by Capt Edward Crossman. This book was published in the early 1920s I believe. Crossman's methods are still taught in the CMP/AMU Small Arms Firing School at the National Matches and other CMP Games today as well as GSM Garand Clinics. Crossman's "Book of the Springfield" is the best I've seen on that rifle. Don't discount these old authors, we can learn a lot from them. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

December 19, 2012, 07:42 PM	#5
Bart Noir Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2000 Location: Puget Sound, USA Posts: 2,215	And for you folks that like math, Col. Townsend Whelen wrote two books that describe rifle shooting in detail. And I do mean detail. Volumes 1 and 2 of Small Arms Design and Ballistics. IIRC the first covered interior ballistics (inside the chamber and barrel) and the second covered exterior ballistics (flight of the bullet). I read them both about 35 years back. Now Amazon shows them (used) at over $150 each Being not too long out of engineering school, I thought I found a flaw in his physics math. Now, I sorta think I was likely wrong about that, since I can't remember what it actually was. Actually, there is much I can't remember from back then. Bart Noir __________________ Be of good cheer and mindful of your gun muzzle!

December 29, 2012, 12:51 PM	#9
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,833	hatcher's work is classic reference. Everything that applied then, still applies today (as the same guns are still around). Same with Kieth, O'Connor, Whelen, Nonte, Skelton, Jordan, Cooper, and the rest of the "old timers". These gentlemen, in their writings and their exploits are virtually the "founding fathers" of modern shooting sports, and any shooter's library should have at least a few of their works. and if you want some really complicated math, complicated to me, anyway, check out one of the volumes of "The Machine Gun" (Chinn), there are formulas in there for calculating the weight needed for the bolt of a blowback SMG of a given caliber. Among other things... Esoteric? sure! There's symbols in those equations I don't even recognise! __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

December 17, 2012, 12:32 AM	#3
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	No one holds Hatcher in greater regard than I do and I own Hatcher's Notebook (and have even read it!) and I would say get it and enjoy it but in the spirit of full disclosure Hatcher lived 1888 to 1963 so obviously Hatcher himself was not able to comment on many of our 'modern' firearms. Once again let me say Hatcher is one of the 'greats' in the firearms world and I totally agree that lots of what he wrote about the firearms of his time apply to the firearms we have today and I agree anything he wrote would be good information to have around.

December 22, 2012, 12:53 PM	#7
Rainbow Demon Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2012 Posts: 397	This public domain download may be of interest, though it doesn't deal with the more modern handguns. http://archive.org/details/modernamericanpi00goul

December 27, 2012, 06:19 PM	#8
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	For the real math freaks, find a copy of the British Textbook of Small Arms (1929). Jim